Abstract
This paper presents the Teixint Superilles project which developed participatory design activities to create more inclusive public space. Our hypothesis was that when citizens have the opportunity to participate in placemaking activities, they gain not only greater awareness of their environment, but also a sense of agency over their city. Through a series of workshops, we have been experimenting with diverse methodologies for civic participation while confronting a wide range of participants with topics of gender, functional diversity, cross-generational inclusivity, and sustainability. We facilitated workshops in three different environments, thus reaching a wide range of participants: a public park, a festival and a secondary school. This paper is aimed at urban planners and designers seeking to create more liveable, sustainable and inclusive public space together with citizens. Beyond our local impact in the neighborhood, we seek to contribute to a global cultural shift towards increasingly meaningful community engagement.
Keywords
social innovation, transition design, community engagement, placemaking
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.661
Citation
Rames, C., Carbassé, M.L., Karrasch, L., and Casas, R.G. (2022) Teixint Superilles: A grassroots project of participatory design for inclusive public spaces, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 25 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.661
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Teixint Superilles: A grassroots project of participatory design for inclusive public spaces
This paper presents the Teixint Superilles project which developed participatory design activities to create more inclusive public space. Our hypothesis was that when citizens have the opportunity to participate in placemaking activities, they gain not only greater awareness of their environment, but also a sense of agency over their city. Through a series of workshops, we have been experimenting with diverse methodologies for civic participation while confronting a wide range of participants with topics of gender, functional diversity, cross-generational inclusivity, and sustainability. We facilitated workshops in three different environments, thus reaching a wide range of participants: a public park, a festival and a secondary school. This paper is aimed at urban planners and designers seeking to create more liveable, sustainable and inclusive public space together with citizens. Beyond our local impact in the neighborhood, we seek to contribute to a global cultural shift towards increasingly meaningful community engagement.